Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 7 eBook

Lovel. Why this is talking somewhat like.
I would have you all disclaim my actions. I
own I have done very vilely by this lady. One
step led to another. I am curst with an enterprizing
spirit. I hate to be foiled—­

Foiled! interrupted Lady Sarah. What a shame
to talk at this rate!—­Did the lady set
up a contention with you? All nobly sincere,
and plain-hearted, have I heard Miss Clarissa Harlowe
is: above art, above disguise; neither the coquette,
nor the prude!—­Poor lady! she deserved
a better fare from the man for whom she took the step
which she so freely blames!

This above half affected me.—­Had this dispute
been so handled by every one, I had been ashamed to
look up. I began to be bashful.

Charlotte asked if I did not still seem inclinable
to do the lady justice, if she would accept of me?
It would be, she dared to say, the greatest felicity
the family could know (she would answer for one) that
this fine lady were of it.

They all declared to the same effect; and Lady Sarah
put the matter home to me.

But my Lord Marplot would have it that I could not
be serious for six minutes together.

I told his Lordship that he was mistaken; light as
he thought I made of his subject, I never knew any
that went so near my heart.

Miss Patty said she was glad to hear that: and
her soft eyes glistened with pleasure.

Lord M. called her sweet soul, and was ready to cry.

Not from humanity neither, Jack. This Peer has
no bowels; as thou mayest observe by this treatment
of me. But when people’s minds are weakened
by a sense of their own infirmities, and when they
are drawing on to their latter ends, they will be
moved on the slightest occasions, whether those offer
from within or without them. And this, frequently,
the unpenetrating world, calls humanity; when all the
time, in compassionating the miseries of human nature,
they are but pitying themselves; and were they in
strong health and spirits, would care as little for
any body else as thou or I do.

Here broke they off my trial for this sitting.
Lady Sarah was much fatigued. It was agreed
to pursue the subject in the morning. They all,
however, retired together, and went into private conference.

LETTER VI

Mr. Lovelace
[incontinuation.]

The Ladies, instead of taking up the subject where
we had laid it down, must needs touch upon passage
in my fair accuser’s letter, which I was in
hopes they would have let rest, as we were in a tolerable
way. But, truly, they must hear all they could
hear of our story, and what I had to say to those
passages, that they might be better enabled to mediate
between us, if I were really and indeed inclined to
do her the hoped-for justice.

These passages were, 1st, ’That, after I had
compulsorily tricked her into the act of going off
with me, I carried her to one of the worst houses
in London.’